Crossing The River
by icecreamcastles
Summary: Two big ears and piercing eyes stared at her with brows raised. "And who are you?" - 9th/River, 11th/River (one-shot)


**_Crossing The River  
9th/River ; 11th/River  
Summary:_**_Two big ears and piercing eyes stared at her with brows raised. "And who are you?"  
**Disclaimer: these characters are not my own.**_

River had just taken a shower and was wandering around the Tardis, walking up the steps to the console, "If you had _any_ idea what that bathroom could be used for Doctor –"

She froze.

Two big ears and piercing eyes stared at her with a brow raised. "And who are you?"

Those words did indeed sound familiar but not with this face. River looked around the Tardis, this wasn't _her _Doctor's Tardis.

She hadn't noticed the man with the leather jacket, who she very well knew was the ninth reincarnation, came to stare down at her.

"What are you and what are you doing in my Tardis?"

_What are you doing old girl?_ River thought, glancing around the Tardis.

He didn't seem mad, only curious. "And how did you know your way around it?"

She gained her usual sense of confidence she uses to work her way through messy situations, "Spoilers."

"Ha! Spoilers, do you know where you are? Because you are very much not welcomed here." He walked back to the console. "My friend will be back any minute."

"I really don't think you know how welcomed I am." River smiled, laying her hands on a lever and pulling it up.

"Oi! Don't mess with my Tardis!" He turned a finger at her. He looked down, "I was going to do that." With another curious look he crossed his arms. "You still haven't told me who you are and why you're wandering around here without one bit of care where you're going."

"I know exactly where I _was _going, but you don't know that yet."

"Riddles are very funny Missus..."

"Melody, Melody Smith."

"Melody, nice name, and now you would be going."

He took her hand but stopped, looking down at their hands joined together. The Doctor looked up at River with a faraway look. "Do I know you?" He asked. "You feel… different.

She knew it was the Tardis starting to radiate through her veins. It always did that when she was inside it.

She tightened the grip, "Spoilers, Doctor."

River then let go and placed her hands on his temple, smiling lightly. "Forget me."

* * *

"River Song if you don't answer me I swear I will-"

The Doctor bumped into her in the hallway.

"River where were you?" He asked, straightening his bowtie with a grimace.

"The Tardis was just showing me something I think, weren't you old girl?" River looked around her, tapping the wall gently.

River was left feeling a bit drained after erasing herself from the memories of The Doctor and wasn't sure she should tell. Why the Tardis led her there was beyond her. What was she to gain?

"Well, come now." The Doctor took her hand and they went back to the console.

They spent a few minutes there before the Doctor stopped his animated self and sighed. "Where were you River?"

"I… just got lost, my love."

"You're lying."

"Doctor, do you ever remember the time when you travelled with_ her_?"

The Doctor tensed. "Why are you asking River? Why… **now**?"

"Because there's something in your past that you might want to remember, I just don't know if you should sweetie." She couldn't lie to him.

"And what would that be?" He walked over to her.

"The Tardis took me back in time. I don't know why."

"The Tardis! No, no! That doesn't happen, never happens. In fact I can assure it it's a Sunday. I'm barely moving us to a Tuesday. Sunday's are boring." He pulled on his suspenders.

"Well she did."

"River," he sighed, "What are you saying?"

"The Tardis sent me to see you. Past you, your ninth."

"That's impossible, I'd remember you." He gave a sheepish grin but there was something else lingering behind his words.

"No, Doctor, I had to…" River looked away. "What you did to Donna, I had to…" She couldn't finish the sentence.

She was waiting for him to yell. To be angry about this, about how dare she do something so reckless when she isn't fully time lord.

Instead she felt his arms pull her to him.

"I should have known then River because I felt it." He spoke into her hair as her arms wove around his waist. "When I took your hand, when you'd walk around Tardis that I saved you from jumping off that ship, I should have felt it but I didn't. Not yet because I didn't know what it felt like anymore. Time lords are different. Before the Tardis left her human form Rory said she kept repeating 'the only water in the forest is the river'. I think she knew before we all did. I think she helped keep your secret."

"And I remembered." He finished.

"What?" River pulled back.

"I lied. A few weeks ago I think the Tardis was at work behind my back because I remembered. When we touched all those years back then in my ninth reincarnation I felt time lord genes in your veins. Not as potend an actual time lord but you are a half breed. River," He held her face in his hands, "I felt hope in that very dark time in my life and I didn't know why. It was you, River. It was Rose too but you helped it come along."

"Then you're not angry?" River asked.

"How could I ever be angry with you? Sweetie." He touched the tip of her nose with a finger and swirled back around the console, babbling about the next adventure he had planned.


End file.
